House of Horrors!
by Little Kunai
Summary: Temari is on a dangerous mission as part of a two team squad to deal with S-Rank missing nin in Rain Country, who turn out to be more terrifying then they expected. Tramautized she finds comfort in an unexpected person. Slight Tema/Cho


**House of Horrors!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

**Author's Note: This was written for Heaven-Will-Burn**

**Hope you enjoy it Heaven! Hope it's fluffy enough for you!**

**Temari was out on a mission composed of two teams in Rain country. The lightning flashed and crackled, and the icy wind tore at the kunoichi's sodden clothes. She pushed her wet hair out of her face, scanning for the hideout and cursing silently as the water dripped in her eyes. Temari was the leader of Team One, consisting of herself, her brother Choji and Tenten. They were the team that would go in and finish off the target. The targets were five rogue ninja from Snow, Leaf, Rain, Mist, and Rock. Shino was the leader of Team 2. Consisting of himself, Hinata and Kankuro. They were the ones who were tracking the targets and were also there as back-up in case the situation got too sticky. The two groups had rendezvoused a quarter mile from the rogue nin's hideout, a dilapidated old building that rocked and creaked eerily in the wind. Hinata scanned the area for traps which were surprisingly absent. Motioning her teammates forward, they entered the building. **

**Temari was chilled to the bone and every muscle was taut, straining her ears for any signs of an ambush. She and Shino silently signaled to the team to scan the building. Hinata activated her Byakugan, Shino sent out several of his beetles to scout the area. There was no one there. All they could do now was wait for the rogue ninjas to return and ambush them. She began ticking them off mentally. **

**Hyo Kinnoyama was a missing nin from Snow, she had white hair, gold eyes, several tattoos, a large red scar on her leg, and stood about 5'4. She had been one of the surviving ninja who had tried to kill Princess Yukie Fujikaze. She was a genius in Snow jutsus and possessed a kekkai genkai from an obscure clan, but little else was known about her.**

**Kurushimeru Mattaku. A missing nin from Leaf, who had disappeared ten years ago and had suddenly popped up out of nowhere. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 5'8. He was cruel and took great pleasure in inflicting pain on his enemies, he was one of the few ninja to possess the Ameterasu jutsu. He was also a strategist and had worked for a while as an interrogation nin, but was removed from his position because he often flouted the rules, even using forbidden methods such as rape and a form of agonizing mind torture, in which he entered their minds and began to mess with their nervous systems. The captured nin were left traumatized, paralyzed, and in extreme cases suffered damage akin to a lobotomy. He was a former Anbu Leader until he killed off most of his own teammates by betraying them to the enemy, and then he had double crossed the enemy. One teammate had escaped, his crime against the Leaf was discovered and he was finally forced to flee.**

**Hianshisu Raiko was a missing nin from Rain. She had pale green hair, silver eyes and stood at 6' even. She was a precocious medic nin who had left the village when she had been caught doing appalling medical experiments on academy students. She was believed to be dead until six years ago when she had been found up to her old tricks, literally up to her elbows in blood as she experimented on a civilian in the Land of Waves, ironically the boy had died without her expertise. She had a photographic memory, and an extensive knowledge of the human body and medical jutsus to rival the 5th Hokage.**

**Gyuki Kumuchi was a missing nin from Mist. He had long black hair, deep blue eyes, pale blue skin, sharp fangs, and webbed hands and feet. He stood at 6'5 but was delicately built and rangy. He specialized in poisons, and had found a way to poison the mist itself, by dispensing his own chakra and performing the Hidden Mist jutsu. Gyuki had poisoned the village for no other reason but that he was insane. Insanity seemed to run deep in his family, and the Kumuchi's were one of the most hated families in Mist. Often reduced to poverty since few wanted to hire them, and living in the slums. It was said that he'd walked around the village and laughed at the villagers in their death throes before walking out of the village a year ago.**

**Jan-Jan Chikara was a missing nin from Rock, he was nearly seven feet tall, messy brown hair and eyes, stocky and muscular. He had been part of a coup de tat. Nearly killing the Tsuchikage himself. His strength was off the charts, easily able to rip an opponents head with the spine attached with minimal effort, and could bring down an entire building with a few well placed hits. He had been missing for two year.**

**Shino spoke quietly in the deepening gloom. "My beetles haven't found any physical trace of them, though their chakra signature is quite strong and very…odd." Choji frowned, "What do you mean odd?" He asked Shino. "I'm not quite sure. But it's almost as if it has been mutated with something stronger, more powerful." Temari cocked her head at the Bug Master. "Like a demon's chakra?" She asked. "Hmm….not quite. Perhaps. We'll have to wait and see."**

**Hinata screamed shrilly. Her eyes widening as she saw one of their targets rise up from the floor. It was Kurushimeru Mattaku! The most dangerous of them all. He leered at the terrified girl and Kankuro walked in. "Hinata! You just gave away our position!" Kankuro stared as the nin rose into the air slowly, hovering over Hinata like a ghost. It was then that Hinata uncovered an ability the likes of which no Hyuuga had ever even dreamed of. She moved into Rotation, and sent it spinning off like a whirlwind, smashing the howling Kurushimeru through a wall, all without smashing it. The rest of the teams came running as fast as they could. "What happened?" Demanded Shino as Hinata sunk to the floor, white as a sheet. "It-it-it w-was-" Temari waited impatiently. "I-it was Kurush-sh-shimeru." Even Temari paled when his name was mentioned. "Shit!" She muttered, "He must have disguised his presence somehow." **

**Shino decided to split everyone into teams of two, the rendezvous point being the downstairs room. Kankuro had chakra strings attached in case any of them needed help. Kankuro was paired with Hinata, Tenten was paired with Shino and Temari was paired with Choji. Temari was not pleased by this arrangement, but kept her opinions to herself as any good team leader should. **

**Temari wanted to strangle the boy as he munched endlessly on food in his pack. They crept down to the basement, stepping carefully down the rotting staircase as their eyes adjusted to the gloom. The ceiling leaked and Temari was sure she could hear rats scurrying in the darkness below. The whole place had a rotten smell, something so foul that her stomach churned. The lights flickered on and even Choji hastily put away his chips at the horrific sight that greeted them. Numerous bodies in various states of decay surrounded them, from skeletons picked clean to maggot-ridden corpses. A child no older then ten years old lay on a bloodstained operating table, her torso wide open, the skin and muscle held down by black fishing hooks, exposing all her organs. Her red hair shaved short, and stitches dotted her scalp. Temari recognized her as a missing academy student in the village. She stared wide-eyed at Temari and Choji, her eyes begging for death. But her mouth was wired shut to prevent her from screaming. Temari knew that this would haunt her nightmares forever, she took a large kunai from her pack, silently begging the girl to forgive her as she plunged the kunai into her heart, giving her a quick death. **

**Temari sat down on the staircase and began to cry, her whole body was shaking in horror. In all her years as a shinobi, she had never had to kill a defenseless child. Even though she knew it would have been crueler to let her suffer for a moment longer. Choji sat down tentatively beside her. His face pale and his eyes grieved. He hesitantly put his arm around Temari, and rubbed her back when she cried into his shoulder. Temari lifted her head and Choji couldn't help but think of how pretty she was, her teal eyes were as a blue as an arctic ocean, with crystal droplets trailing down her flushed, tear-stained face. Choji put these feelings aside and stroked her hair. Allowing her to get it out of her system. If it had been him in her position, he wasn't sure he would have the strength to put the child out of her misery.**

**When Temari was finished, she looked up at Choji again. "This was obviously Hianshisu Raiko's handiwork." She observed, her voice was as cold as steel. "C'mon Choji. Let's take this bitch down!" **

**Shino and Tenten were upstairs at the top floor, when suddenly they heard chilling laughter behind them. Tenten spun around to see Gyuki Kumuchi standing behind them. His blue eyes fixated on them, in the way that a wistful child stares at a coveted toy. Tenten flung a flurry of shuriken at him, and he dodged with ease. He grabbed Tenten and threw the kunoichi into the floor so hard she crashed through the rotten boards and she was effectively buried under a pile of broken wood. Shino swore. Realizing his bugs would be no match against the poisons master of the Mist. Shino tried to flee, but then he began to choke, his eyes darted frantically as his beetles fell to the floor by the hundreds, already dead. The last thing he saw was the wistful childlike smile of Gyuki Kumuchi. **

**Kankuro and Hinata were facing down three opponents at once, when Temari and Choji came up from the basement. The rain was pouring hard outside. Kankuro was barely dodging Hyo Kinnoyama's ice attacks. She froze his chakra strings and kept disconnecting him from his puppet. Hinata was facing down Kurushimeru and Jan-Jan at the same time. Choji made a rapid series of hand seals. "Expansion jutsu!" He yelled, and became just as big as the hulking Jan-Jan. **

**Suddenly something caught Temari's eyes. She whirled around to stare at Hianshisu Raiko who stared as calmly as Death itself. Her beautiful heart-shaped face was impassive, giving no sign of her moves. Her eyes swept Temari up and down with the cold assessing look of a surgeon, and Temari said venomously. "You sick bitch! You die today! Wind sword jutsu!" The deadly wind sword had about as much effect on the advancing green-haired kunoichi, as an ice cube would on a forest fire. She advanced slowly and steadily, her gaze never faltering.**

"**T-Temari! Watch out! She's not alive! None of them are!" Hinata cried out. "What?" Temari said. Temari punched the kunoichi, her hand going through her as though she was thin air. But Temari was equally shocked when Hianshisu grabbed her wrist in an iron grip. It was so strong that no matter how she struggled, Temari couldn't budge that arm even fraction of an inch. A green glow emanated from Hianshisu's right hand, and at that moment Temari stopped breathing. She crumpled to the ground.**

**Temari woke up hours later, to find Kankuro and Tenten in hospital beds next to her. Choji for once wasn't eating. He had felt a spark with Temari in that room. "Unggh." She said moaning, "Wh-what happened back there?" She asked Choji. **

**Choji looked at her gravely. "Your heart stopped, and we had to retreat. Fortunately they had sent a third team after us. Sakura pretty much brought you back from the dead. Kankuro got stabbed in the leg and hip by an icicle, Tenten's suffering from a serious concussion and a broken ankle. Hinata is just fine I fine. I have cracked ribs, and Shino's dead." Choji didn't think that it would do her any good to know that Hianshisu had begun to operate on Shino then and there. "Those rogue ninja…they were all some sort of ghost demons. I've never seen anything like them! It'll take some time for Rain to figure out how to deal with them. Right now Rain's evacuating the area, and the Phantom Five are sealed in by special barrier jutsus so they don't get out." **

**Temari ground her teeth. "The Phantom Five?" She asked with disgust. Choji looked away, "Get some rest Temari, we've got a long day ahead explaining everything to the Hokage, Kazekage, and Mizukage tomorrow."**

**Temari tried to sleep but she was plagued by nightmares. Her chest and lungs hurt, and she would often spew blood. Choji sat there patiently all night. Turning her over to spit in a basin, laying a damp cloth over her forehead and petting her hair when she was racked by loud wailing sobs. Finally Choji sat on the bed and gathered her in his arms. Temari had broken into a cold sweat and was shivering violently. She snuggled up to him in a half-sleep and eventually quieted down. Her breathing became deep and easy, though she continued to whimper and sniffle. His body warmth was a comfort to the distraught kunoichi, and morning found them entwined in each other's embrace. Temari cracked her eyes open. She was utterly exhausted and would be likely be on bed rest for several weeks until her heart could be healed by Tsunade. She felt weak and shaky, but warm and comfortable. Choji had finally fallen asleep himself. It had been a long arduous night watching over the Sand nin. Her heart was heavy and she snuggled into Choji's arms, as the girl's face stuck in her mind. This was almost enough to put her off being a ninja permanently. **

**She began to cough up blood. A lot of blood, it covered her face in a gruesome mask, causing a snoozing Choji to jump up and yell for the medics to come quick. Kankuro had been awakened by Temari's harsh hacking, and he shivered uncontrollably, disturbed to see his sister in such bad shape. The medics got her in a stretcher and rushed her to another room. Temari would never admit to it, but she wanted Choji there with her. No one had held her like that since her mother died, and she felt a strong surge of affection for the chubby nin. "Don't worry." Choji's black eyes told Temari. "Your gonna be okay." **

**It was three days later when Temari woke up. Choji was there again to greet her, the warm afternoon sun painting him a brilliant orange, and Temari graced him with a weak smile. "So?" She asked wearily. "What's the news?" Choji smiled at her shyly. He had never had a girl look at him like that. "Tenten's still in a coma." He explained, Kankuro is up and walking again and is in a meeting with the Kage's, though he's been worried about you." Temari rose from her bed, "Gaara's here?" She asked excitedly. "Mmmhmpph." He mumbled through a mouthful of chips. Temari didn't even mind this time. He swallowed, "He arrived three days ago." Temari blinked, "Three days ago? Shit is that how long I've been out?" **

**Choji looked guilty as he was about to answer with his mouth full. He worried what Temari must think of him. "He came to see you yesterday." He explained hastily, trying to swallow without choking. "The Hokage says you won't be able to go home till your fighting fit again." Temari was grateful for having the Hokage's expert care, but at the same time she was sunk into a deep depression at those very words and homesickness washed over her like a wave. Struggling to keep her tears inward, which was a difficult feat considering her nightmares every night, she curled up under the covers, and slept for the remainder of the day. **

**Temari woke up, it was dark and Choji had once again cuddled up to her against the chill of the hospital room. He was crying and shuddering, and Temari began to hum softly in his ear. She wasn't sure what she was humming, and she was a little rusty at first, but then she recognized the tune as an old lullaby her mother had sang to her when she and Kankuro were little. The song soothed Choji, and eventually his tears trickled to a standstill. Temari suddenly realized that he had suffered just as much trauma in that godforsaken hellhole as she had. She stroked his hair and held him closely, just as he had done on the first night at the hospital.**

**Day by day they bonded through their mutual pain. When Temari started taking short walks around the hospital, Choji could be seen accompanying her alongside Kankuro. Whom she appreciated but felt he could never understand what they had gone through. When they were stricken with nightmares they held each other, Choji had taught her that it was ok to cry. Temari was the first girl Choji had ever kissed. **

**Over the years Choji and Temari began dating in earnest, much to everyone's surprise. The couple could often be seen, standing in the morning light, holding each other in silent contemplation, Temari would stand with her back against Choji's chest, and Choji would be nuzzling her golden hair hands clasped together.Both of them knowing that this day might be their last together. **

**Fini**


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